Cost of Living Comparison Between Zimbabwe and United States Cost of Living Comparison Between Zimbabwe and United States

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $489 per month in Zimbabwe vs $2,643 in United States, rent included.

A couple spends around $817 per month in Zimbabwe vs $3,857 in United States, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,145 per month in Zimbabwe vs $5,070 in United States, rent included.

Zimbabwe is roughly 81% cheaper than United States on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Zimbabwe sits 64% below the global median, while United States is 97% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.15 ZWL 192

$20.04 $20.04

-64.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 ZWL 1,343

$76.0 $76.0

-34.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.18 ZWL 166

$11.42 $11.42

-45.88%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ZWL 74.7

$5.39 $5.39

-48.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 ZWL 19.45

$2.55 $2.55

-71.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ZWL 12.11

$2.04 $2.04

-77.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ZWL 40.96

$6.14 $6.14

-75.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ZWL 55.1

$7.18 $7.18

-71.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 ZWL 41.50

$1.04 $1.04

49.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 ZWL 26.10

$3.65 $3.65

-73.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 ZWL 48.71

$4.73 $4.73

-61.73%

Eggs

$2.16 ZWL 58.0

$4.38 $4.38

-50.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.37 ZWL 278

$12.76 $12.76

-18.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 ZWL 155

$12.42 $12.42

-53.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.86 ZWL 157

$16.41 $16.41

-64.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 ZWL 70.4

$5.42 $5.42

-51.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ZWL 48.32

$1.65 $1.65

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 ZWL 57.2

$4.59 $4.59

-53.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZWL 42.71

$4.91 $4.91

-67.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ZWL 42.77

$2.92 $2.92

-45.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 ZWL 49.32

$3.13 $3.13

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ZWL 28.03

$2.26 $2.26

-53.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 ZWL 28.77

$2.30 $2.30

-53.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.36 ZWL 36.61

$9.89 $9.89

-86.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 ZWL 184

$15.10 $15.10

-54.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 ZWL 31.45

$1.91 $1.91

-38.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ZWL 47.96

$3.66 $3.66

-51.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 ZWL 26.54

$2.48 $2.48

-60.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.96 ZWL 804

$64.8 $64.8

-53.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 ZWL 132

$3.84 $3.84

28.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 ZWL 55.2

$1.76 $1.76

17.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 ZWL 138

$30.58 $30.58

-83.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 ZWL 43.51

$0.96 $0.96

68.75%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.7K ZWL 637.3K

$30.5K $30.5K

-22.13%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.3K ZWL 652.1K

$26.4K $26.4K

-7.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$53.9 ZWL 1,448

$204 $204

-73.59%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$17.47 ZWL 469

$57.3 $57.3

-69.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$89.7 ZWL 2,407

$71.2 $71.2

25.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.55 ZWL 1,277

$46.67 $46.67

1.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.72 ZWL 288

$22.12 $22.12

-51.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 ZWL 268

$13.84 $13.84

-27.82%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$222 ZWL 5,966

$1,384 $1,384

-83.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,138 ZWL 218.5K

$22.7K $22.7K

-64.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.67 ZWL 501

$53.0 $53.0

-64.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.11 ZWL 513

$43.17 $43.17

-55.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$36.68 ZWL 985

$90.6 $90.6

-59.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.38 ZWL 1,138

$114 $114

-62.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 ZWL 9,020

$1,766 $1,766

-80.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 ZWL 6,017

$1,459 $1,459

-84.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$818 ZWL 22.0K

$2,832 $2,832

-71.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 ZWL 14.4K

$2,411 $2,411

-77.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$857 ZWL 23.0K

$3,287 $3,287

-73.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$383 ZWL 10.3K

$2,650 $2,650

-85.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$344 ZWL 9,233

$4,379 $4,379

-92.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.5

6.51

107.37%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Zimbabwe: June 1, 2026

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $105 in Zimbabwe vs $1,637 in United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $403 in Harare and $2,591 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $356 in Zimbabwe vs $4,500 in United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1459% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 128% more in United States.

Public transport is 178% more expensive in United States.

Salaries are 1164% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Zimbabwe vs United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zimbabwe is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 548% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Zimbabwe, contributing to the overall 548% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$800 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Zimbabwe, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Zimbabwe is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.